If the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t turn in the card with Ohio State DL Cameron Heyward’s name on it, the New England Patriots would have instead. Interviewed on The CW’s Inside the NFL in an episode that aired Wednesday, Bill Belichick revealed Heyward was on the Patriots’ radar.
“Hey Cam, I think back to 2011,” Belichick told Heyward. “Man, we almost had you. We had the first pick in the second round and you went 31 and we couldn’t trade up to get you.”
Belichick smiled in making the comment and it’s hard to tell if he was fully sincere. Referencing being unable to trade up hints that he was making a serious play to take Heyward. Blogs and outlets at the time speculated about the idea, though I can’t find any indication he was brought in for a pre-draft visit. This list from Pro Football Talk only notes the Tennessee Titans bringing him in, though it may not be an exhaustive group of names.
A prospect like Heyward would’ve fit the Patriots’ ideals. Big, strong, tough, with a high football character and excellent blood lines, the Steelers were fortunate enough to have Heyward still be on the board. An elbow injury limited his pre-draft participation and potentially caused him to slide into the end of the first round. Even Heyward thought at the time he wasn’t going Round One.
Pittsburgh played the value game and snagged Heyward with the 31st pick. There wasn’t an immediate need but the organization had the foresight to develop the future behind an aging Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel. It took until Heyward’s third NFL season to start, hearing calls of being a bust those first two years, but he became one of the best draft picks of the Kevin Colbert era. A borderline Hall of Famer, Heyward is one of the greatest defensive linemen in team history and face of the franchise, still going strong at age-35.
After hearing the comment from Belichick, Heyward had the perfect response.
“You had a chance in the first round. You took Solder.”
With the 17th pick, the Patriots selected Colorado OT Nate Solder. He was a good player, starting 95 games for the New England, but he didn’t have close to the career Heyward’s posted. It’s a reminder that every player knows exactly who got drafted ahead of them and Heyward was no different.
Instead of landing Heyward, Belichick drafted Virginia CB Ras-I Dowling with the 33rd pick, two selections after Heyward heard his name called. His career was brief and unsuccessful, appearing in just nine games with two starts for New England.
While Belichick might be wondering about what could’ve been, he tipped his hat to Heyward for all his Pittsburgh success.
“Man, what career you’ve had. Congratulations. You have had a tremendous career.”
Had Belichick taken him, Heyward would’ve outlasted Belichick’s own tenure. But it all worked out for Heyward, drafted by the team in the city he was born and getting to spend his entire career in one helmet. Belichick might have regrets. Heyward sure doesn’t.
